Swimming mitt



May "19, 1970 G-.w.w o| |--E 3,512,194

SWIMMING MITT Filed July 18. 1968 INVENTOR. GERALD W. WOLFE ATTORN EY.

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A swimming mitt comprising two substantially delta shaped pieces of water resistant, flexible sheet peripherally sewed together and partially peripherally reinforced by a wire rib. A wrist opening is provided in the uppermost of the sheets near the trailing edge thereof to permit the insertion of the swimmers hand prior to using the device.

This invention relates to the general field of aquatics and more particularly is directed to a swimming aid for the hands of the swimmer to serve as a speed endurance and directional device.

It is well known that a swimmer can gain increased speed and endurance through the water by utilizing swimming aids applied to the feet. The most popular type of device now presently in use consists of a pair of molded rubber or rubberized material fins which are adapted to be worn over the feet of the swimmer. The swim fins as now in use incorporate broadened flat surfaces and flexible trailing edges to thereby increase the surface area of contact between the swimmers feet and the water itself. By utilizing such devices, great speed and stamina can be developed in either regular swimming or underwater swimming commonly called snorkling, simply by flexing the ankles and allowing the broad fin surfaces to facilitate propulsion through the water.

In view of the success of the foot applied devices as above set forth, prior workers in the art have attempted to develop a similar swimming aid for use with the hands of the swimmer. However, despite the need for such a device, until the invention of the instant device, no suitable hand applied swimming aid has yet come forth. The design problems occasioned by such an application have been difficult to overcome inasmuch as the swimmer must make both forward and rearward movements with his hands either in utilizing the breast stroke or the crawl stroke as is common when propelling through the water. By necessity then, the hands of the swimmer at one portion of the stroke move rearwardly and at another portion move forwardly. Such problems did not face the designers of foot applied devices inasmuch as in most types of strokes, the foot motion was simply up and down and not backwards and forwards, thereby no resistance to passage through the water was created by the movements of the stroke itself.

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide an improved swimming mitt of the type set forth.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a swimming mitt of optimum dimensions and configura tion for propelling a swimmer through the water.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a swimming mitt capable of keeping the hand warm when utilized for wet-suit cold conditions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a swimming mitt capable of protecting the hands of the user when encountering spiney type underwater life.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel swim mitt composed of materials sufliciently buoyant to remain on top of the water in the event that the mitt accidentally was disengaged from the hands of the user.

3,512,194 Patented May 19, 1970 It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a novel swimming mitt of symmetrical design which may be readily adaptable to either the right or left hand of the user.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provrde a novel swimming mitt comprised of materials having sufficient flexibility to allow the mitt to be utilized for grasping and catching objects while in the water.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a novel swimming mitt comprising a minimum number of operating parts.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a novel swimming mitt that is inexpensive in manufacture, extremely simple in design, and trouble and maintenance free when in use.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the swimming mitt, partially broken away to expose the interior construction.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional'view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, I show a novel swimming mitt 10 including a pair of cooperating, symmetrical, flexible, upper and lower mitt segments 12, 14 and which may be cut from neoprene, rubber or equivalent sheet to provide a water-proof, flexible and buoyant construction. The segments 12, 14 are cut to a modified delta shape as best seen in the plan view of FIG. 3 and are sized to fit most hands, thereby eliminating the need for many various size models. It is the intention of this invention to design the size for use with the largest hands. Experience has shown that swimmers with smaller hands can also readily operate the mitt with optimum results after a minimum amount of practice.

The upper segment 12 is provided with a wrist opening 16 which is preferably oval in configuration to permit ready insertion of the hand of the user. The opening 16 is positioned near the trailing edge 18 of the mitt, thereby permitting the fingers of the swimmer (not shown) to extend towards the leading edge 20 of the mitt to thereby insure maximum control of the operation of the swimming nn'tt by the user. It is thus seen that the fingers of the swimmer serve to reinforce and control the leading edge 20 of the device. The bottom edge 18 is reinforced by a length of wire 22 which may be looped, bent back on itself or curved at the ends to prevent puncturing of the material of segments 12, 14 when in use.

The upper and lower segments 12, 14 are peripherally joined by continuous stitching 24 which also serves to reinforce the mitt construction. The formed wire rib 22 is secured in place by adequate stitching in Well-known manner to prevent working or slipping of the rib with respect to the segments 12, 14 when the mitt is in use. Additional stitching 26 may be peripherally applied about the wrist opening 16 for reinforcing purposes. In lieu of the stitching 24, 26, alternate junction and reinforcing methods such as heat sealing, cementing or the like could be employed; if so desired and still fall within the scope of the instant invention. F

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wire rib 22 comprises a transverse bottom web 52 that is substantialiy straight and a pair of spaced, forwardly turned legs 28, 30 which are bent: at substantially right angles to the web. In this manner, the trailing edge, 18 of the swimming mitt can be adequately stiffened and reinforced to insure that a broad swimming surface is presented to the Water during the period of use. As hereinbefore stated, the leading edge 20 of the mitt is controlled by the fingers of the swimmer, which are employed by extension into' the vicinity of the leading edge.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of finger compartments 34 are formed radially stitching together the upper and lower segments 12, 14 as at 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46. In this manner, the fingersof the user (not shown) may be guided into the swimming mitt through the wrist opening 16 into the compartments 34 much in the same manner as putting on a glove. However, it should be again noted that the swimming mitt is exactly symmetrical so that either the right or the left hand of the user may be inserted into each said swimming mitt, thereby utilizing a single design and size for purposes of manufacturing and sellingsimplicit'y.

In order to use the device, one swimming mitt 10 should be applied to each of the hands of the user. In view of the reinforcing function of the wire rib 22 when applied to the trailing edge 18 of the mitt, and the control of the leading edge 20 by the fingers of the user, the device may be readily employed for 'snorkling by keeping both hands in front while propelling through the water. Also, in view of the nature of the material employed in the construction of the mitt, the mitt serves to keep the hands warm when swimming in the cold water such as when normally a wet suit would be employedsBecause of the increased surface afforded by the use of the swimming mitt, a swimmer may readily tread water at the surface without the use of the feet simply by slowly waving the mitt over the surface of the water with the lower segment 14 facing downwardly. Because of the flexible nature of the material employed in the construction, it should be noted that the mitt may be used for catching objects in the water and could easily be adapted for use in Water games. The modified delta design coupled with the complete mitt control by the hands of the swimmer further serves to facilitate the forward and rearward arm motions which are usual in most common swimming strokes.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirt and scope of the invention as hereafter claimed. 1

: What is claimed is:

1. In a swimming mitt designed to be worn over the hand of :a swimmer, the combination of:

(A) a lower flat, flexible segment formed to a substantially delta-shaped peripheral configuration and having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

(B) an upper segment of flat, flexible material,

1) said upper segment conforming to the configuration of the said lower segment,

(2) said upper segment peripherally securing to the said lower segment, and

(3) said upper segment being provided with a.

hand receiving opening; and

(C) a length of reinforcing wire interposed between the said upper segment and lower segment at the trailing edge thereof and extending forwardly therefrom in a pair of spaced kgs,

(1) said reinforcing wire stiffening the said trailing edge and removing the flexibility thereof,

(a) the 'said legs terminating forwardly before reaching the said leading edge whereby the said leading edge remains flexible and the said trailing edge is rendered nonflexible.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said wire positions adjacent the periphery of the said secured upper and lower segments. 7

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein a plurality of finger passages are defined between the said upper and lower segments.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein a plurality of finger passages are defined between the said upper and lower segments, and wherein the said finger passages extend radially forwardly from the said hand receiving opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,275,005 8/1918 Eckman 9-308 1,457,858 6/ 1923 Ruddell 9308 2,556,894 6/ 1951 Ayiotes 93( 2,556,894 6/1951 Axiotes 9307 3,174,167 3/1965 Pauley 9308 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner I. E. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner 

